03-18-2006, 07:26 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>PRESS RELEASE: CAPEEM FIGHTS DISCRIMINATION AGAINST HINDU CHILDREN WITH A LAWSUIT</b>
California Parents for the Equalization of Educational Materials (CAPEEM) has filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of California against the California State Board of Education and the California Department of Education.
The complaint was filed with the Federal Court on Tuesday, March 14th, 2006.
The essence of the Complaint is that the California State Board of Education (SBE) and California Department of Education (CDE) violated the civil rights of Hindu schoolchildren by advancing an inaccurate and derogatory picture of Hinduism in sixth grade school textbooks. California State Board meetings on the matter failed to give an adequate voice to Hindu concerns. There has been a violation of Federal and State laws and statutes, as well as CDE and SBE guidelines.
Various Hindu groups and parents participated in this process since the Sixth grade History-Social Sciences textbooks came up for adoption last year. After being let down by the CDE and SBE, the parents decided to go to court and restore their children's civil rights. Many students, both past and present, have spoken to CDE and SBE about their experience in the classroom and that the Hinduism that is taught in the school has nothing to do with what they know and practice at home.
<b>Venkat Balasubramani filed the complaint on CAPEEM's behalf. Balasubramani is an attorney </b>who has worked in the past with public interest groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), on civil rights matters.
For further information please contact Murali Menon
at:
e-mail address: m...@capeem.org
Phone: (310) 804-5126
Web Site: www.capeem.org<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
California Parents for the Equalization of Educational Materials (CAPEEM) has filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of California against the California State Board of Education and the California Department of Education.
The complaint was filed with the Federal Court on Tuesday, March 14th, 2006.
The essence of the Complaint is that the California State Board of Education (SBE) and California Department of Education (CDE) violated the civil rights of Hindu schoolchildren by advancing an inaccurate and derogatory picture of Hinduism in sixth grade school textbooks. California State Board meetings on the matter failed to give an adequate voice to Hindu concerns. There has been a violation of Federal and State laws and statutes, as well as CDE and SBE guidelines.
Various Hindu groups and parents participated in this process since the Sixth grade History-Social Sciences textbooks came up for adoption last year. After being let down by the CDE and SBE, the parents decided to go to court and restore their children's civil rights. Many students, both past and present, have spoken to CDE and SBE about their experience in the classroom and that the Hinduism that is taught in the school has nothing to do with what they know and practice at home.
<b>Venkat Balasubramani filed the complaint on CAPEEM's behalf. Balasubramani is an attorney </b>who has worked in the past with public interest groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), on civil rights matters.
For further information please contact Murali Menon
at:
e-mail address: m...@capeem.org
Phone: (310) 804-5126
Web Site: www.capeem.org<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->